Editorial use only. No merchandising. Football Association and Premier League restrictions apply inc. no internet/mobile usage without FAPL license. It is the picture user's responsibility to adhere to all restrictions - for details contact Football Dataco
REX/BPI

As Tottenham’s longest-serving player, Michael Dawson has grown accustomed to seeing a lot of changes in the dressing room over the past eight years.

In the club’s relentless pursuit of Champions League football many faces have come and gone but the bitter taste of missing out, barring their run to the quarter-finals in 2011, on a regular basis has remained the same.

While Europe’s top brass were rubbing shoulders in Monaco for this season’s group stage draw, the Spurs players were trying to motivate themselves for a Europa League qualifier at White Hart Lane tonight against Dinamo Tbilisi, who they lead 5-0 from the first leg.

The sense of frustration is clear and the fact Arsenal, who they face in the Premier League on Sunday, remain an ever present in Europe’s top club competition is an added thorn in their side.

Coming second best to their neighbours has been the norm. The last time Spurs finished above Arsenal was back in 1995 and that statistic will probably have to change for their Champions League ambitions to be realised.

Optimism is high that both those wrongs will be put right this campaign and such confidence stems from a dramatic U-turn in their transfer policy.

Where once the priority was to buy British, foreigners have been flooding into White Hart Lane since coach Andre Villas-Boas took charge last year.

Of the 13 new arrivals so far, only two have come from these shores — youngsters Grant Hall and Ezekiel Fryers. A number of domestic players have also headed for the exit with Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Caulker, John Bostock and David Bentley all leaving this summer.

Speculation continues that Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe could soon join them while Gareth Bale is on the verge of a world-record move to Real Madrid. Bale’s imminent £86million transfer has funded the purchases of some fine foreign talent in Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue, with Erik Lamela, Vlad Chiriches and Christian Eriksen set to be confirmed.

This is a similar path to the one Arsene Wenger took after joining Arsenal in 1996 and it helped cement their position among Europe’s elite.

Dawson is fully aware of the greater diversity around him but feels it can bring similarly positive results.

Speaking to Standard Sport, he said: “We have a great group of players. There is a great mix of nationalities and we are still all bonding together.

“It’s about taking the club to the next level and bringing the best players in. That’s what you have to do in the Premier League, you can’t stand still.

“Of course, it always takes time to develop that understanding when new players arrive, you don’t just run on the pitch and it all works out. You have to work hard on the training ground.

“Soldado is Spanish and has to learn English, Paulinho speaks Portuguese and so on but we have already had a few weeks together.

“Sometimes at Tottenham, a lot of signings have happened after the first Premier League game but it’s been great for us that we made a lot of transfers early in the summer.”

When pressed further on whether following Arsenal’s example is a bad thing, he replied: “No. Arsenal have been regulars in the top four, fighting for the Premier League for years.

“On a Tuesday or Wednesday night, when that Champions League music is playing, that’s where you want to be. But I have always said you have to earn the right to do that.”

It should be pointed out that Villas-Boas has not abandoned home-grown players, as Danny Rose and Andros Townsend look like joining Kyle Walker in being first-team regulars this term.

Last season just a point separated the north London clubs but all the pressure going into Sunday’s game is on Arsenal due to the fact they have made no major signings.

In contrast, Dawson says Spurs are upbeat, especially as victories over Wenger’s men are not so hard to come by nowadays.

“We’ve won more games against them in recent years than when I first started at the club,” said Dawson, who joined Spurs in 2005.

“It shows how far we’ve come. We finished just below them in fifth in my first year but we have come a lot further since then. We are really striving for the Champions League and that’s our aim on a regular basis and when we don’t get it we’re really disappointed.

“It is very important to get off to a good start. It is something we didn’t do last year. We drew a few games at home and finished behind Arsenal by a point. It’s much better to begin by winning a few games, which we have done so far.

“We know what it means to the fans and the club to finish above Arsenal but our aim is to finish in the top four whoever it’s above. We have to earn the right and it’s going to be tough.”

It’s certainly going to be more testing than facing Tiblisi but perhaps now they have the squad to do it.